Before You Buy Another Tech Tool
2025 CPA Firm Tech Report
If you’ve been in public accounting for more than a minute, you know the profession is in the middle of another big transformation. I see it as a Renaissance period. A time of amazing rebirth for CPAs and the profession.
In just the last year, we’ve seen accounting technology explode with new possibilities like automation, AI, cloud solutions, blockchain and data analytics. These are no longer futuristic concepts. They’re here, now and reshaping how we work and what clients expect from us.
With all this opportunity comes a lot of noise and a fair bit of anxiety. Many CPAs are waiting for a clear path forward before making a move, but the truth is, waiting might be the biggest risk of all. Failure to act now only means falling behind, which can quickly lead to full-on stagnation.
Here are the five biggest challenges holding firms back from embracing AI-driven technology, according to the 2025 CPA Firm Tech Report. If we want to lead in this new era, we need to stop thinking of AI and tech as “just another tool” and start treating them as the foundation for how we operate, deliver value and evolve.
Challenge 1: Overwhelming choices and change management overload
The profession faces a dizzying array of technology options, which can lead to decision paralysis.
Firms are stuck in “Is this actually better?” mode instead of just experimenting or moving ahead. The constant influx of vendor messaging only adds to the confusion. Being bombarded with messaging from so many competing vendors, it’s no wonder any firm can keep up at all, let alone make decisions on new technology that aligns with strategy.
Meanwhile, operational pressures continue to mount. With most firms drowning in work, still trying to figure out their pricing and feeling the impact of pipeline shortages, they’re buried in deadlines.
Time is a major challenge. That’s just a fact.
Challenge 2: Leadership hesitation and resistance to change
Leadership uncertainty is another major barrier to effective tech adoption. And to make matters worse, most firms don’t know who should be evaluating and leading new technology evaluations and rollouts. Is it the IT team? Is it a partner?
The emergence of AI has raised the stakes. With AI now involved, it is no longer just a technical decision; it is a business decision. And that means CPAs have to declare: ‘We’re an AI-first firm' and then align tech decisions around that.
However, most just view AI as another tool, rather than a complete shift in how they need to operate. It’s a mindset shift…not a “the next shiny thing” fad.
Challenge 3: Justifying costs and proving ROI
For many firms, the challenge isn’t about adopting new technology — it’s about proving that the investment will pay off. Big surprise [insert CPA sarcasm]. Not to beat a dead horse, but this too requires a fundamental mindset shift where firms commit to being AI-first and then aligning tech choices around it.
By treating AI and other innovations as core to the business, rather than optional add-ons, firms can better justify costs and measure returns in terms of value delivered to clients and the firm itself.
Challenge 4: Growing security risks
The focus here is the speed and scale of technological change, which implies that new risks are emerging just as quickly as new opportunities.
This calls for proactive leadership and strategic alignment that extends to security. With AI now involved, it’s no longer just a technical decision; it’s a business decision.
Challenge 5: Gaps in resources, skills, and expertise
The profession’s transformation demands new skills and mindsets. Through AI-X (AI Xcellence), firms can lead confidently in the age of artificial intelligence, transforming how they operate, deliver value and evolve.
We need to make it happen. Leading the AI movement in the profession will help firms with upskilling, leadership development and a willingness to experiment and adapt.
It’s time to go for the BOLD
We need bold, strategic leadership and decisive action where AI is concerned. It’s time to move beyond incrementalism if firms are going to leverage the full power of AI and create a sound path forward.
Firms that embrace the AI-first mindset — investing in skills, aligning leadership and treating technology as a business imperative — will be best positioned to lead the profession into its next era. Transformation is not just possible; it is essential for continued relevance, growth and sustainability in the accounting profession.